Health Plus asks: What is your healthy lifestyle goal?

Kathleen Kinser (left) and Wendi Mason spurred each other on to new heights in health last year. (Vanderbilt)

What is your healthy lifestyle goal for 2014? Eat Better? Lose Weight? Stop Smoking? Get Active? Complete a half-marathon? Health Plus shares this inspiring story to let you know your dreams are possible to achieve.

Kimberly Farmer (Vanderbilt)

Kimberly Farmer, Wellness Commodore for Pulmonary Vascular Center at Vanderbilt, has a passion for healthy lifestyle that is contagious. Last year she set a goal that caught the attention of her colleagues. The challenge: To complete thirteen 5k race events in 2013. Her colleagues, Wendi Mason and Kathleen Kinser, took the challenge and ran with it (literally).

Wendi Mason says when she started running; it was a challenge just to get to the next mailbox. Now she runs a solid 10 minute mile and has lost 50 pounds. Wendi says she has found that having a partner to train and run with makes it more enjoyable. For her and her colleagues this is all about having fun and encouraging each other. Wendi completed 18 race events in 2013.

Kathleen Kinser was inspired by Wendi’s lifestyle change and got on board. For Kathleen, the keys to success in making lifestyle change are: talk to your provider about specific conditions or needs; set a plan: schedule time to exercise and put it on your calendar; and get support–running a race alone just isn’t fun! Kathleen completed 21 race events in 2013.

Just like Kim inspired her colleagues to make a healthy lifestyle change, you can make a difference too. Interested in learning more about becoming a Wellness Commodore? Contact Laura Osterman at (615) 322-6689 or laura.osterman@vanderbilt.edu.

Healthy Lifestyle goals can start small.

Not getting enough activity? Set a goal to walk at least 10 minutes every day.

Need to eat better? Set a goal to include a serving of fruits or vegetables at every meal.

To learn more about setting goals check out these Health Plus resources: